Nov.7 (GMM) Toto Wolff has vowed to look into the way Valtteri Bottas’ contract uncertainty affects his mid-season performance. Finn Bottas replaced Nico Rosberg for the 2017 season, on a one-year deal. Subsequently, he was also signed one season at a time for 2018, 2019 and now 2020. He admits the constant uncertainty affects him. […]
Month: November 2019
Mercedes, Honda unsure why Ferrari engine slower in US
Nov.7 (GMM) Mercedes and Honda have stopped short of joining Max Verstappen in accusing Ferrari of “cheating” with its 2019 power unit. In Austin, amid suspicions about Ferrari’s huge power advantage, Red Bull-Honda requested a clarification from the FIA about fuel flow measurements. Suddenly, and coincidentally, Ferrari’s major engine advantage seemed to vanish. “I have […]
Binotto threatened Red Bull with legal action – source
Nov.6 (GMM) Mattia Binotto confronted Christian Horner after the US GP and threatened him with legal action, according to the Spanish source Motorlat. Other photographic evidence emerging in the wake of the Austin race appear to back up correspondent Yhacbec Lopez’s claim about the Ferrari chief’s fury. The normally calm Binotto was enraged after Austin […]
‘No room’ for Ricciardo if Renault quits F1 – Marko
Nov.6 (GMM) There is “no room” for Daniel Ricciardo at Red Bull-Honda in the event that Renault decides to quit Formula 1 at the end of the season. That is the news from Red Bull’s notorious driver manager Dr Helmut Marko. At the end of last year, Red Bull was surprised and disappointed when Ricciardo […]
Hamilton and Verstappen ‘agreed’ to stop media war
Nov.6 (GMM) Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton have “agreed” to stop bickering in the media. That is the news not only from the Red Bull-Honda driver’s father Jos, but world champion Hamilton himself. Recently, Verstappen and Hamilton have traded verbal barbs in the media, but Jos says he has urged his son to back down. […]
Alfa Romeo parent ‘not satisfied’ with 2019 results
Nov.6 (GMM) Fiat Chrysler, which is Alfa Romeo’s parent company, has endorsed the re-signing of Antonio Giovinazzi for 2020. Dumped by Renault for 2020, Nico Hulkenberg was hoping to keep his F1 career alive by replacing Giovinazzi at Alfa Romeo. But the Hinwil-based team has now announced a new deal with the Italian driver. “There […]
Ferrari not ready to sign up for 2021 – Camilleri
Nov.6 (GMM) Ferrari is a long way from being ready to sign up for the 2021 season, CEO Louis Camilleri has confirmed. We reported this week that although the 2021 rules have now been announced, the teams are not committed beyond 2020 until they sign a new Concorde Agreement. “What was announced over the weekend […]
F1 could scrap Pirelli’s 2020 tyres
Nov.6 (GMM) Pirelli could scrap its proposed 2020 tyres. The teams and drivers were nearly unanimous in their disapproval of the 2020 prototypes when they were tested for the first time in US GP practice. “It is not a positive step, but we have agreed to take a few days for the analysis,” Red Bull […]
Williams ‘do not deserve’ budget cap – Villeneuve
Nov.6 (GMM) Jacques Villeneuve says a team like Williams “do not deserve” a budget cap. The outspoken French Canadian is the last driver to have won the world championship for the British team, but he is now highly critical of efforts to make surviving easier for the current backmarker. “What’s the idea with helping the […]
Prost predicts Ferrari driver ‘conflicts’ in 2020
Nov.6 (GMM) F1 legend Alain Prost thinks tougher times could be ahead for Ferrari as Sebastian Vettel and Charles Leclerc grapple for number 1 status. This season, Vettel began the season as the obvious number 1, only to have that status challenged by his 22-year-old teammate by mid-season. But as the season nears its end, […]
Haas could offer Kubica race seat for 2021
Nov.5 (GMM) Haas team boss Gunther Steiner says he remains very keen to sign up Robert Kubica for 2020 and beyond. Amid rumours the departing Williams driver might accept a development driver role for 2020, Kubica was linked with Haas and Racing Point. But the Pole said in Austin that his situation had suddenly become […]
Montezemolo says Hamilton now a F1 ‘great’
Nov.5 (GMM) Former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo says Lewis Hamilton is a Formula 1 “great”. The Mercedes driver secured his sixth drivers’ title in Austin – a feat bettered only in F1 history by Michael Schumacher. Many are hailing the achievement, and among them is Ferrari’s highly successful former president Montezemolo. “Lewis is a […]
Dutch GP preparations ‘on schedule’ – boss Lammers
Nov.5 (GMM) Preparations for the 2020 Dutch GP are on schedule, race spokesman and former F1 driver Jan Lammers insists. Recently, environmental opposition groups have been campaigning legally and bureaucratically against Zandvoort’s efforts to upgrade the circuit for F1. But so far, the legal challenges have been overcome and Zandvoort now possesses the permits it […]
Mercedes able to replace Hamilton – Wolff
Nov.5 (GMM) Toto Wolff says Mercedes could cope if Lewis Hamilton decided to switch to Ferrari. Negotiations over Hamilton’s post-2020 contract are set to begin, and both the newly six-time world champion and Wolff have indicated they want to stick together. But there are also suggestions the top drivers may be able to capitalise financially […]
Verstappen’s cheating accusation ‘understandable’ – father
Nov.5 (GMM) Jos Verstappen says it is “understandable” that his son Max accused Ferrari of cheating. Ferrari reacted angrily when the Red Bull-Honda driver said Ferrari’s sudden loss of performance in Austin was because they had been forced to “stop cheating”. “I think we all know that something is wrong, but you can’t say it […]
Masi unsure if FIA ruling hurt Ferrari power
Nov.5 (GMM) Race director Michael Masi says he has “no idea” if the FIA’s clarification of the engine rules hurt Ferrari’s performance in Austin. With the Italian team’s sudden loss of pace coinciding with the FIA’s Red Bull-inspired technical directive about the fuel flow rules, Max Verstappen concluded that Ferrari had been caught “cheating”. Ferrari […]
F1 teams ‘free to not sign’ new Concorde – Abiteboul
Nov.5 (GMM) Cyril Abiteboul does not think a new Concorde Agreement will be quickly signed by the ten Formula 1 teams. Although the 2021 regulations have finally been published, the equally consequential commercial and governance agreements with the teams must now be agreed and signed. The teams will meet with Liberty Media and the FIA […]
Hulkenberg slams DTM reports as ‘fake news’
Nov.5 (GMM) Nico Hulkenberg has slammed as “fake news” reports he will on Tuesday be unveiled as a DTM driver for 2020. The German’s comments come as his last real option to stay on the F1 grid next year, the race seat alongside Kimi Raikkonen at Alfa Romeo, is filled. “Antonio (Giovinazzi) has emerged as […]
New Indy owner eyes F1 return
Nov.5 (GMM) Another potential candidate for a second grand prix in the United States may have emerged. Having already failed to get a downtown race off the ground, Liberty Media is trying again to organise a grand prix in Miami, this time mainly on the grounds of the Hard Rock Stadium. But that campaign is […]
Kubica has ‘interesting options’ for 2020
Nov.4 (GMM) Robert Kubica says he has “interesting options” on the table for the future. The departing Williams driver could leave Formula 1 altogether, but he has also been linked with test roles at Haas or Racing Point. And now it is rumoured that Ferrari might be interested in the popular Pole, who has struggled […]